Unique Pathways to Publication: An Authors Panel

Katie Otey is an author and poet with a passion for heartwarming tales laced with humor. She is represented by Bonnie Swanson of The Purcell Agency and has well over a decade in the publishing industry as a network representative for the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. Her debut picture book, Every Other Christmas, a heartwarming story of a child who alternates spending Christmas between his African-American mother's family and his father's Colombian family, released September 2022. As the publisher of Phoenix Media & Books , Katie intends to offer a traditional yet collaborative publishing experience, while providing tips and motivation to creators looking to navigate the industry.  https://www.katieoteywrites.com/

J. L. Sullivan writes young adult novels inspired by gritty urban environments and the fantastical tales that percolate within abandoned buildings and desolate alleys. He began his writing journey in high school with a local newspaper before venturing into creating writing in college where he found himself lost in contemporary stories with magic simmering in the shadows. His debut novel, From Brick & Darkness, won multiple awards following its spring 2022 release leading to a contract for a sequel coming in 2024. He lives in St. Louis with his wife, two daughters, and a dog named Princess Penelope Picklesworth. https://jlsullivan.net/

SLPA Board Member Kerri M. Holloway is a freelance editor and copywriter with over 20 years’ experience helping authors, nonprofits, small business owners, and Christian ministries. As the principal of Successful Improvements, she is committed to helping people share their story and specializes in transforming ideas into a polished and effective message. https://www.successful-improvements.com/

Unique Pathways to Publication:
An Authors Panel     

Moderated by SLPA Board Member Kerri Holloway 

September 13, 2023, via Zoom.us, 7:00pm

Join the St. Louis Publishers Association on September 13 for “Unique Pathways to Publication: An Authors Panel”, moderated by SLPA Board Member Kerri Holloway. Hear from SLPA member authors Terry Baker Mulligan, Michael DePung, Katie Otey, and J.L. Sullivan, as they share behind-the-scenes experiences, including lessons learned, practical advice, and their next steps. Come prepared to take notes and ask questions! 

Terry Baker Mulligan is the author of Sugar Hill: Where the Sun Rose Over Harlem, which won the 2012 IPPY Award for Adult Multicultural Nonfiction and two 2013 Benjamin Franklin Awards for Multicultural Writing and Autobiography/Memoir Writing. Her novel, Afterlife in Harlem, was published in October 2014. Then, in 2019, These Books Are Killing Me, a true account of her sons’ around the world extreme travels was published. Terry studied fiction and non-fiction writing for three summers at Washington University’s Summer Writers Institute and the Iowa Summer Writing Festival. https://terrybakermulligan.com

Michael DePung, SLPA Board Secretary, is a retired educator, poet, published writer with scores of articles on Medium, and the author of Superhero You! Discover Self. Create Purpose. His latest release is Martin, Maya, and Me: A Brief Exploration of Social Injustice which focuses on the messages from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail” and Maya Angelou’s poem “On the Pulse of Morning,” from the perspective of an ally standing with those who have experienced social injustice. Readers can find it locally at Spine Indie Bookstore & Café in South St. Louis. https://michaeldepung.medium.com

Katie Otey is an author and poet with a passion for heartwarming tales laced with humor. She is represented by Bonnie Swanson of The Purcell Agency and has well over a decade in the publishing industry as a network representative for the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. Her debut picture book, Every Other Christmas, a heartwarming story of a child who alternates spending Christmas between his African-American mother's family and his father's Colombian family, released September 2022. As the publisher of Phoenix Media & Books , Katie intends to offer a traditional yet collaborative publishing experience, while providing tips and motivation to creators looking to navigate the industry.  https://www.katieoteywrites.com/

J. L. Sullivan writes young adult novels inspired by gritty urban environments and the fantastical tales that percolate within abandoned buildings and desolate alleys. He began his writing journey in high school with a local newspaper before venturing into creating writing in college where he found himself lost in contemporary stories with magic simmering in the shadows. His debut novel, From Brick & Darkness, won multiple awards following its spring 2022 release leading to a contract for a sequel coming in 2024. He lives in St. Louis with his wife, two daughters, and a dog named Princess Penelope Picklesworth. https://jlsullivan.net/

SLPA Board Member Kerri M. Holloway is a freelance editor and copywriter with over 20 years’ experience helping authors, nonprofits, small business owners, and Christian ministries. As the principal of Successful Improvements, she is committed to helping people share their story and specializes in transforming ideas into a polished and effective message. https://www.successful-improvements.com/